Erik Ramirez
Andrew Carnegie


Occupation
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American Industrialist who led the expansion of the American Steel industry. He was the founder and proprietor of Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Steel Company. In 1901 Carnegie sold his company to J.P. Morgan for $400 million and became a fulltime philanthropist donating to public education and the common good around the country.
Position on Issue
Carnegie first made his opinion known to the public in 1898 when he wrote an article for the North American Review titled “Distant Possessions: The Parting of Ways.” In the Article Carnegie made a strong argument against the annexation of the Philippines, in the process establishing himself as a leader of the anti-imperialism movement. At one point Carnegie offered to buy the Philippines independence for $20 million.
Reasons for Interest
  • Carnegie was a man of high moral standards and he argued that the to strip the Philippines from their right to independence would be hypocritical and against the moral foundings of the country
  • Carnegie believed that forcing the Philippines to be our colony would hurt the American Economy. America would be forced to put millions of dollars into the infrastructure and maintenance of a country while also spending money to procure a Navy strong enough to protect the Colonies.
  • Carnegie, being the avid philanthropist, believed that it would be a waste for America to spend millions of dollars in the Philippines when the money could be used more effectively at home. Internal improvements such as dams, bridges, highways, and public education would be better investments. He thought that a nation gained strength from within its own borders not from how much land it acquired.
Bibliography
Nasaw, David. Andrew Carnegie. New York: Penguin, 2006. Print.
Wikipedia contributors. "Andrew Carnegie." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 1 Apr. 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.